PDLJMPR Web Magazine,
May 04, 1997
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Photo 2, Photo 3, Photo 4, Photo 5
These are pictures taken just before the 1988 - 30th Anniversary Sprite Fest
that was held in PA, by Rick Moses.
This past December I completely
disassembled the car and I am in the process of replacing all the rusted pieces
and parts. The progress is real slow. and we just completed the right side
replacement of the floor, crossmember, reinforcement member, inner & outer
sills, inner and outer door pillar. Additionally, I reconfigured my 8 point
rollbar to a 7 point, this gives the passenger a little more room. Next we
start on the left side.
I am also doing a complete rewire of the
car, my car has a custom solid teak dash and I do not use the standard wire
harness, I had to design my own. This version will be 100 times better then the
first time I wired it almost 20 years ago. None of the wires will run through
the original holes in the firewall. My car does not use a heater or defroster,
so all of the wire will pass through the defroster holes on the firewall and
come out through the heater plenum opening in the firewall. I am designing a
terminal block to fit over the plenum hole. The section of the firewall that
the wires normally went through will be covered with polished stainless steel.
The dash can be removed by unplugging three plugs and removing three nuts.
I am also installing the new competition rear leaf springs, alloy
upper control links and will be lowering the rear and front suspension. I also
have plans to install the Mazda alternator conversion, and possibly the 5 speed
conversion, but right now the trans is a standard rib case except I have one
of the roller throw out bearings installed. My engine is a 1275 unit that is
basically stock, except I have installed the adjustable belt cam drive from
MiniMania along with the carbon fiber pushrods. The push rods are connected to
a set of Keith Dodd 1.5 rockers that I acquired from Tony Chiles in Padacuh, KY.
A Weber 45 and a LCB are screwed to a cylinder head which has basic
modifications.
The picture of the wheel is a JA Pearse design and I
consider these wheels to be one of my prize possessions, as they are very rare
examples of the first minilites.
The body restoration was supposed
to be completed by second week of June, but things are moving real slow and I am
hoping to get it back on the road before the 40th Anniversary gathering
scheduled next year in PA. I have not settled on a final color or paint scheme
for the car, but I have a few ideas that will probably make the car stand out.
Having fun
Bob Magnotti
